DIY Summer Cocktails

There's nothing we love more than to sip on a refreshing cocktail on a hot summer day. By the looks of our busy patios, you guys feel the same. For those nights that you choose to entertain at home, we've decided to share some of our favourite summer recipes. So get creative and start mixing them drinks!
Our first choice is the Paloma. This cocktail is nice and tangy, plus it's really straight forward to make.

In a tall glass over ice, pour the tequila, squeeze the juice out of the 1/2 lime, add a pinch of salt, and top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with fresh grapefruit (or if you don't have grapefruit, you can use a wedge from the other half of the lime).

Next on the list is the Lavender Lemonade. This one requires a tiny bit more prep but we know you can handle it.
You'll need:
2 ounces of vodka
1 oz of home made lavender simple syrup
Lemonade (home made or store bought)
1 Lemon
It really is simple to make simple syrup. For this version, get equal parts water and sugar, plus a few sprigs of lavender. Set the water and lavender to boil together, stir in the sugar, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, strain out the lavender, and you're ready to go.
For the drink itself, just take all the simple syrup + vodka and build over ice in a tall glass. Top the mixture with lemonade and garnish with a lemon wedge. Then just stir and sip away!

Last but definitely not least, the Strawberry Fields. This recipe requires infused gin, which takes a few days to make but is actually quite easy and well worth the wait.
You'll need:
2 ounces strawberry + basil + black peppercorn infused gin
1/2 lemon
Soda
Fresh basil
Shaker/Strainer
To make the infused gin, fill a clean mason jar with a few strawberries, some basil leaves, and some whole peppercorns. Seal and let sit for 3-5 days. Shake the jar a couple of times a day to really get the flavours going. When it's sat for sufficient time, strain out the herbs + fruit, and presto! Your gin is ready to go. (See, we told you it was easy.)

To create the cocktail, fill your shaker with 2 ounces of the infused gin + the juice from the 1/2 lemon. Shake those suckers up, the strain them over a glass filled with ice. Top with soda and for the final touch, garnish with a piece of fresh basil.

Now you're a pro cocktail maker. They look so tasty, don't they? But don't get too good at making these recipes and forget to visit us... we'll miss you too much! P.S. If you want to stock up on cool bartending tools or recipe books, check out our neighbour BYOB. They have the most beautiful assortment of goodies, like this book on how to make home grown cocktails.